Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Yohomestead.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yohomesteadxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in February, 1997, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-0613, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-5202, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and ray floret color, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in February, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yohomestead has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yohomesteadxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yohomesteadxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform, upright and compact plant habit.
2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.
3. Dense dark green foliage.
4. Uniform flowering habit.
5. Early flowering, eight-week response time.
6. Decorative-type inflorescences.
7. White-colored ray florets.
8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about four weeks in an interior environment.
9. Tolerance to high production temperatures.
Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have a more upright plant habit and flower more uniformly.
Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower more uniformly and are more tolerant to high production temperatures.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar White Diamond, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,059. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar White Diamond in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more upright and not as outwardly spreading as plants of the cultivar White Diamond.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had darker green foliage than plants of the cultivar White Diamond.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar White Diamond.
4. Under low production temperatures, ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum did not develop a pink cast whereas ray florets of plants of the cultivar White Diamond did develop a pink cast.
5. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more tolerant to high production temperatures than plants of the cultivar White Diamond.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Yotrenton, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,789. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yotrenton in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more upright than plants of the cultivar Yotrenton.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had darker green foliage than plants of the cultivar Yotrenton.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more tolerant to high production temperatures than plants of the cultivar Yotrenton.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Yooakland, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/094,326 filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yooakland in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were taller and more upright than plants of the cultivar Yooakland.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter, broader and had shorter petioles than plants of the cultivar Yooakland.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were not as incurved as ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yooakland.